Wool
Edward Edmonds
time, what I have now works for the most part, but most of it is synthetic
and stinks to high hell no matter how many times I wash it. After some
research I was turned on to wool and other natural fibers. I think
because of my lack of experience and not being in a running club that
sometimes I miss out on some the secrets to comfortable cold running that
is probably exchanged during casual runner type conversations. Normally I
just goto a running manufacturer pick out what looks functional and buy
it. But I've found out recently that just because a running company makes
it doesn't mean it will work like I think it should work.
I had a pair of Sugoi Firewall gloves, spent close to $30 dollars on them,
and was really really unhappy with how well they worked compared to a
standard pair of knit gloves I picked up for $10 dollars. Those cheap
knit gloves are far superior in warmth compared to the Firewall gloves.
Still though when it gets below freezing even the knit gloves aren't
enough for my tiny bone thin fingers for anything over 10k. My mother
sent me a pair of gloves from Defeet that are 80% wool, they are a little
bit thicker then my knit gloves, but still not much thicker then your
traditional liner glove and I was impressed with the warmth and
breathability the Merino wool provided. So now I'm looking for a heavier
weight wool glove because they seem to work the best.
I came a across a couple companies who do wool stuff, like SmartWool,
Icebreakers, Minus33, Minus33 is the cheapest and their product line is
small compared to the others but what they do offer is the same products
in different weights of wool, which is very nice. Anybody know of any
other companies who do wool clothing, their has got to be more choices out
there?
Anyway back to cotton and wool for me, like the shoe industry w/ all their
gimmicks I think it's the same for sport clothing manufactures. That
synthetic stuff is for the pidgins.
Doug Freese
"Edward Edmonds" <edward....@gmail.invalid> wrote in message
news:op.u5zzuqmih5l7nc@laptop...
> I had a pair of Sugoi Firewall gloves, spent close to $30 dollars on
> them, and was really really unhappy with how well they worked
> compared to a standard pair of knit gloves I picked up for $10
> dollars. Those cheap knit gloves are far superior in warmth compared
> to the Firewall gloves. Still though when it gets below freezing
> even the knit gloves aren't enough for my tiny bone thin fingers for
> anything over 10k. My mother sent me a pair of gloves from Defeet
> that are 80% wool, they are a little bit thicker then my knit gloves,
> but still not much thicker then your traditional liner glove and I
> was impressed with the warmth and breathability the Merino wool
> provided. So now I'm looking for a heavier weight wool glove because
> they seem to work the best.
Why gloves? Mittens my boy, mittens. Trying to get enough somthing
around each finger is a tenfold problem. I have a little raynards so I
need to keep my hands extra warm. Anywho, with mittens your fingers
provide heat to each other with heat in one confined space. If the
mittems are large enough you carry you hands warm and naturally and if
need be in real cold, another thin mitten inside.
A different hint for shoes and feet warmth. As we were standing around
waiting a race to start Sunday people were looking at my shoes with duct
tape over the front. The usual prerace banter about retired people not
having money and taping their shoes to get one more run. I asked a few
if their feet were cold and many said yes but hopefully as they run they
would warm up. I simply said most of cold is coming from the top mesh of
the shoe and your feet may or may not get warmer. About 5 ran to their
cars to put tape over the mesh.
> I came a across a couple companies who do wool stuff, like SmartWool,
I use SmartWool socks and they hold down to -10F.
> Anyway back to cotton and wool for me, like the shoe industry w/ all
> their gimmicks I think it's the same for sport clothing manufactures.
> That synthetic stuff is for the pidgins.
I had, operative word "had", one shirt like you describe that you could
not get the smell out. All the rest of my stuff, across various brands,
wash up just fine and they don't have any wool. Most of my tops are
years old but they wear like iron. I don't know if it helps but I put my
worn wet clothes in the washer when I get home. If I change a shirt
after a run/race, I throw them in a plastic bag - mostly because others
ride with me and to keep my car from smelling like locker room from
simple sweat exposed shirts.
-D
Charlie Pendejo
> Past few days I've been looking for clothing to wear during the winter
> time, what I have now works for the most part, but most of it is synthetic
> and stinks to high hell no matter how many times I wash it.
I shan't try to talk you out of wool - wool is awesome - but before
you toss out all your synthetics, the biggest secret is using the
right detergent. There's a few formulated to remove the stink from
these clothes, and they work. For years I used one called Sport Wash;
I've switched to a powder called Sport Suds and it may be even better.
This stuff really works, in a way typical detergents don't.
I think it also helps to at least rinse out your sweaty clothes in the
postrun shower, if you aren't going to launder them immediately.
Which also makes 'em a lot more pleasant to get another run or two out
of before cleaning, if you're so inclined.
> Still though when it gets below freezing even the knit gloves aren't
> enough for my tiny bone thin fingers
Doug's right: mittens are inherently warmer. I'm exceedingly happy
with my Brooks mittens which have an inner fleece layer, and a
windproof outer shell. But you can certainly do wool here if you
prefer:
http://www.esquire.com/style/fashion-story/woolmittens0108
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Huber-Dachstein-Mitts/dp/B001JASQIS
John Hurley
wrote:
snip
I don't do wool ... period. Cotton and tyvek for the most part are
what I use.
The tyvek works really well at letting steam / sweat out from
internally but repels rain/snow externally.
I have a couple of heavier jackets and tights/running pants that get
thrown into the mix when needed. Not sure what that stuff is made
from. Never had any problems with washing that stuff as necessary
( not too often in the real cold ).
Melinda Shore
Let me put in a plug for Vermont Darn Tough socks. They're
ridiculously warm and apparently indestructable. Last year
I put a snow hook into my leg, and my pants (sherpa-lined
Carhartts) and long underwear were ripped, as was my calf,
but the socks looked like new. But mostly, they're very
warm.
For gloves, down to about 0F I like windblock fleece. But
the thing is, people vary a lot and stuff that one person
finds warm can be quite uncomfortably cold for someone
else, and vice versa. You have to find what works for you,
and it just involves a lot of trial and error and
experimentation. As a rule of thumb, for genuinely cold
weather I'd avoid stuff made by running-specific
manufacturers and look at gear for nordic skiing.
But I'm with you on the stinky. The only stuff I've had
that was smelly was the old Duofold two-layer stuff, which
not-so-incidentally has a lot of wool in one of the layers.
I tend to prefer synthetics, myself, for long underwear, but
this is definitely one of those YMMV things.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis - sh...@panix.com
Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community
Dot
> Past few days I've been looking for clothing to wear during the winter
> time, what I have now works for the most part, but most of it is
> synthetic and stinks to high hell no matter how many times I wash it.
> After some research I was turned on to wool and other natural fibers.
> I think because of my lack of experience and not being in a running
> club that sometimes I miss out on some the secrets to comfortable cold
> running that is probably exchanged during casual runner type
> conversations. Normally I just goto a running manufacturer pick out
> what looks functional and buy it. But I've found out recently that
> just because a running company makes it doesn't mean it will work like
> I think it should work.
have one or two items made for runners, but most are outdoor gear -
Marmot, Patagonia, Duofold, etc. Sporthill makes gear that works for
skiers and runners. I do have a Nike ACG hat from snowshoe race swag and
an REI "runner's" hat. Except for a couple sporthill items, I've never
seen anything functional in a running store or catalog. I've only rarely
had problems with smelly clothes, but "running" gear just isn't made for
hours outdoors in Alaska winter or hours of rain.
>
> ... Those cheap knit gloves are far superior in warmth compared to the
> knit gloves aren't enough for my tiny bone thin fingers for anything
> over 10k. My mother sent me a pair of gloves from Defeet that are 80%
> wool, they are a little bit thicker then my knit gloves, but still not
> much thicker then your traditional liner glove and I was impressed
> with the warmth and breathability the Merino wool provided. So now
> I'm looking for a heavier weight wool glove because they seem to work
> the best.
some of the better, heavy-weight wool. Mittens are much warmer than
gloves of the same type material.
My hands tend to get cold in porous mittens (fleece, wool) and sweat in
windproof ones, and tend to misplace or lose one mitten when I take them
off to do whatever. My current favorite mittens are the slit mitts (her
domain has expired, so not sure what her manufacturing status is, esp.
since her site said she was gone much of fall). I had her make couple
pair of slit mitts from windproof / wind resistant material. I've got 3
weights that I use - really light for warmer temps, down to close to 0F,
and below 0F. With these, as my hands warm up, I can just poke them out
of the mitten, without having to take them off. and I can get food out
of pockets, etc without having to take them off. I can poke fingers out
but leave thumbs in. Solved my problem with dropping a mitten and losing
one or having wet mitttens by the end.
>
> I came a across a couple companies who do wool stuff, like SmartWool,
> Icebreakers, Minus33, Minus33 is the cheapest and their product line
> is small compared to the others but what they do offer is the same
> products in different weights of wool, which is very nice. Anybody
> know of any other companies who do wool clothing, their has got to be
> more choices out there?
Melton, WoolRich., Ibex
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/index.php?gclid=CJqH6uHcip8CFSgtawodhjs1Zw
Some of the newer wools are nicer than the old stuff since they include
some stretchy material to make them easier to move in. I used to use
wool all the time for work, but there's no way I'd go back to it -except
when around fires (federal contracts and helicopter flying required
non-petroleum based clothing). The newer stuff is just so much lighter
and maneuverable. Still warm when wet and it doesn't stay wet as long or
get as heavy when wet. I was just thinking about those buffalo plaid
jackets and melton wool pants (plus wind layers since they had no wind
resistance and the snow adhered to them) I used to wear skiing vs my
much lighter weight, more maneuverable synthetic layers.
Dot
Doug Freese
"Melinda Shore" <sh...@panix.com> wrote in message
news:hhtglh$7us$1...@panix2.panix.com...
> In article <hhsktd$o8l$1...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> Doug Freese <dfr...@hvc.rr.com> wrote:
>>I use SmartWool socks and they hold down to -10F.
>
> Let me put in a plug for Vermont Darn Tough socks. They're
> ridiculously warm and apparently indestructable. Last year
> I put a snow hook into my leg, and my pants (sherpa-lined
> Carhartts) and long underwear were ripped, as was my calf,
> but the socks looked like new. But mostly, they're very
> warm.
Thanks for the lead, there is place close by that sells them.
-D